Adam Schiff immediately asserts virtually unlimited time for himself and makes it about demonizing Russia, the actual purpose of this process for Schiff. #ImpeachmentHearnings
Adam Schiff immediately frames Biden as Trump alternative.
Reminder: The "Intelligence" Committee is taking lead bc this isn't about rule of law. If it were, Judiciary would have taken lead. And "Intelligence" Committee chaired by pro war and and civil liberties Adam Schiff. accuracy.org/release/adam-s…
Adam Schiff calls it "needed military aid" -- so this is about policy, not rule of law. #ImpeachmentHearings
Hilarious to hear Trump defender Nunes talk about great goals. His use of "whistleblower" is remarkable bc it's the only time I can think of where the Republicans adopted Democratic language.
"Russian aggression" Drink! #ImpeachmentHearings
From William Taylor: "Russian aggression" Drink! #ImpeachmentHearings
Taylor states that policy is the heart of why this impeachment hearing is happening. Ie, it's about policy for a hyper militarized US stance, not rule of law or other pretext.
Contrast this hyper Russia focus with the minimization of the Vietnam War in the Watergate impeachment. The Plumbers were of course originally set up to stop the leaks regarding the Vietnam War -- and to do things like break into Dan Ellsberg's psychiatrist's office.
Don't know if all of that came up in the hearings, but it's not in the Watergate impeachment resolutions that got nods from the Democratic leadership: watergate.info/impeachment/ar…
Rep. Robert F. Drinan tried to impeach over Nixon bombing Cambodia and apparently got shot down by most of rest of congress. So, in that case, the congress avoided the foreign policy aspects bc it highlighted US aggression. nytimes.com/1973/08/01/arc…
Adam Schiff interrupts Castor questioning Taylor, telling witness that he should effectively question premise of questioning. Republicans psudo object, but remarkably don't drum the point home, let Schiff pretend he's being even handed by allowing question to proceed, etc.
